Mary Ann Sisco

As the Head of GFO Advisory, Mary Ann leads a team of experts that provide strategic guidance and best practices in technology, partnership accounting and tax, family office advisory and governance, and wealth planning for family offices worldwide.

Mary Ann has held a variety of strategic and client facing roles throughout her career, and has developed a diverse skill set including product and risk management, operations, business management, sales, market development, public speaking, and advising clients in highly complex, sophisticated wealth transfer planning situations. In particular, Mary Ann has specialized in working with business owning families in preparing for and executing business succession/transition planning, either through sale of the business or passing to the next generation.

Before assuming her current role, Mary Ann held several positions at Northern Trust, including Regional Wealth Advisor for Family Office Solutions, Director of Client Solutions, and as the National Director of Strategy and Product for the Trust & Advisory Practice. Prior to joining Northern Trust, she held several positions with JP Morgan, including National Director of the Wealth Advisory Practice and was a member of the Global Fiduciary Operating Committee. At the start of her career, she spent many years as a private practice attorney in Chicago.

Mary Ann received her Bachelor of Business degree from the University of Toledo and her Juris Doctor degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. She is an adjunct professor in the LLM Program for Tax and Employee Benefits at the John Marshall Law School.

She has served on the faculty of the American Bankers Association National Trust School, and as a guest lecturer at Chicago-Kent College of Law. She is regular speaker for many professional and civic groups and is a frequent commentator on wealth transfer planning issues. Mary Ann has been quoted in various publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Money Magazine, Penta, Fortune, Smart Money, Business Week and U.S. News & World Report.

From a community perspective, she is a member of the Planned Giving Committee at WTTW/WFMT, and a past member of the Planned Giving Committee for Family Shelter Services of DuPage County, and the Young Professionals Board for the Chicago Community Trust.

Mary Ann is married with two children and lives in Downers Grove. She is an avid traveler and loves to show her children new cultures and experiences.